General Stilwell was in charge of the China-Burma-India Theatre. It was the least important of the World War II Theatres and the Allies put it on the waiting list. After about two years after it was taken over(1942), the Allies finally decided to take it back.
Another group which teamed up with Wingage was Merrill's Marauders. This famed group even got a movie named after them called "Merrill's Marauders." Brigadier General Frank D. Merrill and 3,000 men volunteered to make the 5307th Composite Unit. They also fought behind Japanase lines. The Marauders set up road blocks, and surprised Japanese troops.
The two troops combined caused chaos for the confused Japanese. Communication lines were cut, and savage operations were commited. The two forces also proved that troops could survive off of air deployment. Wingate died, however, when his plane crashed in Burma on March 24, 1944.
After China had taken Burma, China's supply line was cut. The only way to send supplies to China was over 17,000 feet mountains between Northern India and Kunning. The aerial drops were not giving China enough supplies though. To solve this problem, General Stilwell decided to build the Ledo Road, which would run from India into North Burma and link up with the 500 mile long Burma Road which would lead into China.
The American Engineers quickly got to work on the road, which was carved out of jungles and mountains. The engineers also faced landslides, rain, and mosquitos. The work began in December 1942. However, on May 1943, the road was only 47 miles long and the monsoon season came into effect. The effects of the monsoon had to be cleaned away before the Ledo road could resume. Finally on January 7, 1945 the road was completed. Now the supply line to China was reopened.
Early in 1944, Stilwell and Merrill agreed on one thing; Myitkyina. This was a key airport for the Japanese. They pushed up Hukwang Valley and their objective was to cover the construction of the Ledo Road. Stilwell and Merrill finally captured Myitkyina on August 3, 1944.
In southern Burma, the Japanese launched an offensive sending 80,000 troops at Imphal. The Allies intercepted them and sent 50,000 of them into permanent rest. The British suffered 40,000 casualties.
Finally, in the first half of 1945, the country of Burma was liberated by the Allies. After 3 years, the Burmese frontier was now free of the Japanese. Burma was a major victory for the Allies because this proved they could withstand horrible conditions and still win. Finally things were starting to go the Allies way in the war.
